BiogasWorld Weekly Vol 44

Green gas industry responds to NAO renewable heat report

February 23, 2018 – Responding to a new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) on the cost-effectiveness of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association, said: As one of the technologies supported by the RHI, biomethane (or green gas) is currently heating over 300,000 homes and displacing almost 800,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent to taking almost a million cars off our roads…

Methanigen potential of biomass: stale bread ranks first in the standings

February 23, 2018 – Not all organic matrices that can be used in a biogas plant are the same, the main difference lying in their methane and biogas yield. This depends on the composition and quantity of proteins, fats and carbohydrates contained in the selected biomass. An example? Stale bread, which contains a high percentage of carbohydrates, has a metanigen potential of over 250 m3/t and animal blood of approximately 80 m3/t. For more on this subject please refer to the “Biowaste to Biogas” publication by Fachverband Biogas and V., downloadable in the annex.

Top tips on growing maize for anaerobic digestion

February 24, 2018 – Growing maize for anaerobic digestion (AD) plants has seen a substantial increase in the last three years. From harvest 2015 to harvest 2016 it saw a 55 per cent increase. However, more recently there has been a stagnation in construction of new AD plants as operators wait for the new Renewable Heat Incentive tariff to be agreed by the Government.

Farm groups urge Trump to maintain the integrity of the RFS

February 26, 2018 – Representatives of the U.S. farming community are speaking out ahead of a Feb. 27 White House meeting on the Renewable Fuel Standard, urging President Donald Trump to avoid seeking change that would weaken the nation’s biofuel policy. On Feb. 26, the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers sent a letter to Trump asking him to maintain the integrity of the RFS.

Biomethane in Europe: a recap

February 27, 2018 – More than 500 plants with a capacity of 250,000 m3 per hour, and an annual production of 1.5 billion m3 of biomethane. Arthur Wellinger of EBA offers an overview of the biomethane situation in Europe and focuses on the heavy transport sector, where biomethane can play an important role – especially in the field of maritime transport by ferry.

Brazil: Landfill gas-based fuels eligible for RenovaBio program

February 28, 2018 – On Feb. 21, Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy published a notice announcing that landfill gas-based fuels will be eligible to comply with the requirements of RenovaBio, the country’s new national biofuels policy that was established in December. RenovaBio aims to increase the use of all biofuels, including ethanol, biodiesel and biomethane, in Brazil with the aim of increasing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon neutrality in three steps

February 28, 2018 – Universities across the country have set ambitious goals to shrink their carbon footprints. The University of California launched its Carbon Neutrality Initiative in 2013, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2025. But amid the broad support for climate action within the UC system, the question of how to actually hit that target has continued to loom large.

February 28, 2018 – The government of Sunchales municipality in Argentina announced on Monday that local company Enerfe will develop a ARS-100-million (USD 4.9m/EUR 4m) biogas project. The plant will make use of the city’s industrial and production waste to generate electricity. It is intended to feed line 132 of the Santa Fe Provincial Energy Company (EPE), the government said.

Commission approves €4.7 billion public support scheme for advanced biomethane and biofuels in Italy

March 1, 2018 – The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules an Italian support scheme for the production and distribution of advanced biofuels, including advanced biomethane. The measure will contribute to reaching EU energy and climate change goals while limiting distortions of competition.

Renewable energy prospects for the European Union

February, 2018 – For more than two decades, the European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of global renewable energy deployment. The adoption of long-term targets and supporting policy measures has resulted in strong growth in renewable energy deployment across the region, from a 9% share in gross final energy consumption in 2005 to 16.7% in 2015. The REmap study by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) identifies cost-effective renewable energy options for all EU Member States, spanning a wide range of sectors and technologies.